Games of Death
by immortal6666
Summary: Tom Riddle, in his arrogance, broke many basic laws of nature. What if it comes back to bite his rear much earlier than anyone expected? Is the power he knows not really love?


**Disclaimer :**I do not own Harry Potter or Bellatrix Black.

' ' – Thoughts

" " – Speaking in English

" " – _Speaking in Parseltongue_

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**Summary : **

Tom Riddle, in his arrogance, broke many basic laws of nature. What if it comes back to bite his rear much earlier than anyone expected? Is the power he knows not really love?

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**Games of Death**

**17 MAY 1996**

Harry Potter saw Sirius rushing to fight Bellatrix Lestrange. She had just knocked out her niece Nymphadora Tonks in hardly 20 seconds. Bellatrix was sending curses at Sirius who was dodging the spells and taunting her. Then he saw a spell hitting Sirius and saw him falling through the Veil.

She turned to give him a smug grin and ran off shouting in top voice, "I KILLED SIRIUS"

He shrugged off Remus Lupin who was trying to hold him back and ran off chasing her. He ran into the entrance of the Department of Mysteries to see the doors revolving around him again. When it stopped, he didn't know which way lead to Bellatrix. So, he did the most logical thing and ordered the room to show him the way. One door opened on it's own and he went through it. He could see Bellatrix standing alone.

He crept behind a pillar and suddenly shouted, "CRUCIO"

She fell over and screamed for a moment. Then she got up again.

"Haven't used an Unforgivable before, have you boy? Righteous anger won't hurt me for long. You have to _mean_ it, Potter. Now, give me the prophecy."

"What prophecy? Do you mean the one that fell down in the hall and broke?"

"Don't lie, Potter. Accio! Accio prophecy! Accio prophecy!", she snarled.

Suddenly, her features turned fearful and she started whimpering.

"My lord, forgive me. I tried. I really did."

Harry started laughing.

"There is no use. He can't hear you."

"Can't I, Potter?", a high cold voice said.

Harry's scar suddenly started burning and he fell down due to pain. Suddenly, Voldemort materialized out of nowhere.

"My lord, I-"

"ENOUGH. I did not come to hear your pathetic apologies. He is telling the truth. I can see the truth looking at me from his worthless skull.", he turned towards Harry and said, "You have been a thorn in my side for a long time now. I will not allow this any longer. Goodbye Harry Potter-"

He was interrupted by a high cold laugh. Harry suddenly stood up continuing to laugh. His eyes were blood red in color and a maniacal grin spread across his face.

"It is interesting, don't you think? Two of the most powerful wizards trying to manipulate the other into doing what they want but in the end, a 15 year old boy outwits both of them."

Harry spreads his hands wide apart with his wand in a hand.

"Ego, Harry James Potter, heres Ignotus Peverell vocant super sacrificium Sirius Orion Niger ad invitare mors ad regnum vivum."

The ground started shaking suddenly. The earth started to split apart and many huge holes formed on them showing the fiery depths of hell. From each hole, a fire demon came out and from the last hole, a tall cloaked figure with a staff came out. There was an aura of dark magic surrounding the new entrant, the kind that had never been seen before on the face of earth. The cloaked figure was so scary that even the dark lord seemed a little intimidated. Harry smirked as he knew exactly who it was.

"Well, for those who do not know, this is Death."

Dumbledore was shocked while Voldemort had a fearful expression on his face. But, soon, Voldemort started laughing.

"As amusing as your games were, Potter, I have more important things to do. Avada Kedavra"

In the blink of an eye, Death became a wisp of black smoke and appeared in front of Harry Potter. The green light travelled from Voldemort's wand towards them. When it came near enough, Death extended a pale, thin hand outwards and caught the beam in between its thumb and forefinger. It disintegrated between its fingers. Voldemort looked astonished for a moment before fury took over. He fired many Killing Curses at Death who slightly lifted his staff causing the Killing Curses to disintegrate midway.

"You can't kill me, child. I **am**Death.", Death said condescendingly, as if speaking to a small kid.

The cold, deadly voice sent shivers down every mortal's spine.

"I can see that you all are confused. So, I will explain everything from the beginning.", Harry said.

* * *

**Flashback**

Harry was having his usual dream of witnessing Cedric's death. Suddenly, the dream changed.

_He was standing in a place he did not recognize. Everything around him was burning but he did not feel anything. Suddenly a tall, hooded figure appeared in front of him amidst a lot of black smoke and he searched his pockets for his wand which was not there._

"_I am not who you think I am, my child.", he rasped._

_Harry was confused. He looked a lot like a Death Eater but something told him that it was no death eater._

"_Forgive me if I am rude but who are you?"_

"_I am Death."_

_Harry was now more confused. His confusion must have shown on his face. Death laughed, a high cold laugh that sent shivers down his spine._

"_I can see that you are confused. I will tell you a story. Your kind calls it 'The Tale Of Three Brothers'. Once upon a time, there were three brothers. The eldest one was Antioch Peverell, the middle one was Cadmus Peverell and the youngest one was Ignotus Peverell. Three brothers, on one of their journeys, came upon a river. The river was very wide and deep. They conjured many stone slabs and used it to build a bridge across the river. They crossed the bridge and reached the other side. But they shouldn't have been able to reach the other side. I was both furious and impressed that they had managed to outwit me. So, I hatched a cunning plan to claim their lives. I promised to give them one thing that they ask me as a reward. The eldest brother wanted power, fame and glory. So, he asked for the most powerful wand ever, a wand that is unbeatable. I broke a twig from the elder tree next to me, transfigured it into a wand and gave him. The eldest brother, Antioch, went back home. The first thing he did after reaching there was to challenge his long time rival to a duel. With the advantage that the elder wand gave him, he defeated and killed his rival. This increased his arrogance more and soon he was boasting to everyone who would hear that as he had the elder wand, he was invincible. Soon enough, someone slit his throat in his sleep and took off with the elder wand. In a similar way, the wand changed hands regularly leaving a bloody trial. After many centuries, the wand found its way into hands of a dark wizard called Gellert Grindelwald. Can you guess who its present owner is?"_

_Harry thought for a moment and then replied, "Albus Dumbledore"_

"_Yes, he still has it. Now, I will tell you about the second brother. He asked for the power to bring back the dead. I took a stone from the ground and put a little of my magic into it. I gave him the stone and told him to go home. I did not tell him that the stone can only bring back the spirits of the dead and not the dead itself. On reaching home, he summoned the spirit of his dead lover. She was not capable of surviving in the Realm of Living and disintegrated in his arms. Seeing his lover dying for the second time drove him insane and he committed suicide not long after. In that way, I claimed the life of the second brother too."_

_Harry didn't know what to say. He had never heard anyone other than Voldemort speaking so casually about people dying. But then again, this was Death._

"_The third brother Ignotus Peverell was different from the others. He saw through my plans. He wanted something that will hide him from me. He wanted a normal life without my interference. I cut off a piece of my robe and gave him. It was later known as the Invisibility Cloak. He went home. I tried many times to find him. Just when I spot him, he hides under the cloak. After two centuries, he summoned me. He told me that he had a long and satisfying life and it was time for the next great adventure. He embraced me like a brother. He chose to die in his own terms. He was my equal."_

"_I don't understand. Why are you telling me this? It is interesting and all-"_

_Death let out a warm chuckle, or what must have been a warm chuckle to him but was terrifying to Harry._

"_Quite an impatient one, are you? Alright, I will get to the point. The second brother Cadmus Peverell feared death so much that he asked for something that can bring back the dead. His descendant Tom Riddle has the same fear of death and took many drastic measures to attain immortality. He broke the basic laws of magic drastically altering the balance of nature. Many who were supposed to live a long and happy life died prematurely. He has to be stopped before he destroys the whole world. I, being an immortal, could not interfere in your world. So, my friend Ignotus Peverell stepped up and offered to be reborn into the mortal world and take care of that problem. He was reborn as his descendant, Harry James Potter."_

_Harry was shocked. How could he be Ignotus Peverell? But then again why would Death lie?_

"_I see that you find it difficult to believe. All your life you only wanted to be a normal boy with parents and friends whose greatest worries are grades and girls. You did not want the money or fame that had been bestowed upon you nor did you want your friends in danger. In short, you wanted a long, happy life without my interference anywhere. You will notice that Ignotus asked me the same thing. Also, the Invisibility Cloaks that your kind makes don't last for more than a few years while your Invisibility Cloak has been used by many generations of Potters for many centuries and is still in good condition."_

_Harry could not refute that argument. He decided to leave that detail aside and get to the point._

"_How am I going to help you?"_

"_I will tell you that later. Right now, it is time for you to wake up. Before I leave, I have to ask you one thing. I know that you are young by wizarding standards and might find it difficult to do many tasks. So, which adult will you choose to help you? He will have these dreams too."_

_Harry didn't have to think much. There was one person he knew he can rely on._

"_Sirius Black"_

"_Good choice, young one. Goodbye."_

_Before Harry could return the greeting, he heard a shriek causing him to open his eyes._

**Flashback Ends**

* * *

"Ever since that day, I started to get the memories of my previous life. Sirius and I had dreams everyday where Death instructs us on what to do. He was much more cunning than you two ever were. With Death's help, we manipulated you to coming here so that we can kill you.", Harry said.

Voldemort snarled, "You are wrong, Potter. I put a false vision of Sirius Black being tortured into your head and you came running."

"Who told you that I will come running if I believe that Sirius is in danger? Bellatrix.", he asked Voldemort.

Both Voldemort and Bellatrix were looking shocked.

"Now, tell me who gave her that information? Kreacher. Sirius ordered Kreacher to give Bellatrix that information. We knew that she will run off to tell you so that she will get a pat on the head. He was ordered to tell only her as Narcissa would have smelled the trap.", he said.

Harry sent a smug smile at Bellatrix who snarled, itching to curse him. But even she had the sense to know that earning the wrath of the immortal being next to him was not a wise move.

He turned back to Voldemort and said, "If you had cared to remember any elfs' names, you would have known that the Black family elf Kreacher is the one you left to die in the cave many years ago but survived. This is his revenge."

Bellatrix was shocked. Everyone in the Black family was fond of the house elf and was very protective of him. She was shocked that Voldemort will show such disregard for their feelings. She looked at him that he looked terrified. Are there more secrets?

"Yes, I know about your horcruxes. Death told us about it. We will be destroying all of them today and then Death will take you."

Both Dumbledore and Voldemort were shocked that someone other than them knew about the horcruxes while Bellatrix was confused.

"KREACHER"

There was a pop and a house elf in a tea cloth appeared in front of them.

"Yes Master."

"Tell your Mistress Bella what exactly happened to Regulus?"

Kreacher began narrating his tale. After he finished, Bellatrix was nearly in tears. She was the one who introduced Regulus to the dark lord. She had been so proud when he had taken the mark.

She turned to the dark lord and asked, "But you told me that he died during a mission."

"Technically, he was telling the truth. Regulus died in during a mission. You just assumed that he was killed by the aurors or someone else from the Light side.", Harry replied.

He turned to Kreacher and said, "Kreacher, give me the locket."

Kreacher gave him the locket which he handed over to Death. Death took what seemed to be a black ball of dark magic from inside it and burned it. He then returned it to Harry who returned it to Kreacher.

"You can leave now, Kreacher."

Kreacher left with a pop.

Death then turned to him.

"Can I?"

Harry nodded. Death took a bony hand of his and placed it into his forehead. Others looked astonished at seeing its hands going right through his forehead. Death took out a similar ball and burned it in his hands.

"For all the help you have provided me with and for permitting me to do what I did, I am going to give you a reward, something you have always wanted."

Death put a hand on Harry's head. A faint glow covered Harry's head. Then, Harry started growing, his hair smoothened and got a red tint, his scrawny form changed to a lean build. Harry then threw away his glasses. Harry was now as tall as Bellatrix. He then looked around to note everyone's reactions. Dumbledore had a surprised but happy look and Voldemort apparently was too busy trying to hatch a plan to save his remaining horcruxes to care about such trivial things. But the most interesting reaction was Bellatrix's. She paled and looked like she was trying to talk but no words were coming out of her mouth.

"This is what I would have looked like without Dursleys' abuse and Voldemort sucking out my magical energy.", Harry explained.

Dumbledore looked particularly ashamed on hearing that.

Death then turned to Dumbledore and said, "As I am an immortal, I cannot access the possessions of a mortal without their permission. Tom Riddle had hidden one of his horcruxes in your school, in the Room Of Requirement to be precise. I would require your permission to access it."

Dumbledore looked shocked that something that dark was in his school where any student could have come across it.

"I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, give you permission to take the horcrux."

Suddenly, Ravenclaw's Diadem appeared in his hands. He destroyed the piece of soul in it in a similar way and returned it to school.

"I cannot bring the dead people back to life but I can let their spirits visit this world. Look behind you."

Everyone looked behind Dumbledore to see what Death was talking about. There was a red haired girl who looked 12. Everyone was looking at her wondering what was so special about her.

Dumbledore knelt down in front of her and asked, "Ariana, is that really you?"

The girl, Ariana, nodded.

Albus Dumbledore suddenly broke into tears startling every other mortal present. Even Voldemort was staring open mouthed on seeing the usual calm and serene headmaster in such a state.

"I am sorry, Ariana. I haven't been a good brother to you. Abeforth was more sensible and a better person than I ever was. Will you forgive me?", Dumbledore said.

Apparently, Dumbledore had forgotten that there were many others present. Bellatrix looked at Harry Potter to see that he was as shocked as the others.

Ariana tilted her head as if considering it.

"I will only if you promise that Harry Potter will be taken away from his relatives. Those monsters are as bad as the creature standing there.", Ariana said pointing at Voldemort.

Voldemort was shocked to see that a little girl was not scared of him. It has been so long since he had seen so many people who did not fear him assembled at a place.

Dumbledore looked at Harry before turning back to her.

"I promise."

"I forgive you", she said before laughing and giving him a hug, "Albus, stop being so serious. The more you dwell in the past, the more you ruin the present and destroy the future. There is a reason the present is called so. It is a gift. We should learn from our mistakes and move on. However big an idiot you are, you are still my favorite brother, though don't tell Abe I said that."

She paused before continuing, "You do know that I have to leave now. I am asking one thing of you, Albus. Put away your male pride and get along with Abe, at least for my sake. You two are the only family I have left."

"Yes, I will."

Slowly, her form started blurring away and soon disappeared. Dumbledore suddenly got up looking as if a heavy weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

Death then turned to Bellatrix surprising her.

"There is a horcrux inside your vault. I would need your permission to destroy it. If you permit me, I will give you what you want."

"Do you know what I want?", Bellatrix asked skeptically.

Death tilted his hooded head sideways causing Bellatrix's eyes to widen. Harry was confused. He wondered what would Bellatrix want more than anything else.

"It is too late for that.", she said.

"Didn't you learn anything from your headmaster? It is never too late.", Death spoke in an icy tone.

Just then, footsteps were heard. In a moment, the minister Cornelius Fudge and a French looking man came running into the hall. They froze on seeing Voldemort but started shivering with fear on seeing the fire demons and the hooded figure.

Death turned back to observe the new intruders. At that time, Voldemort did what he thought was a smart move. He raised his wand at Bellatrix intending to kill her but his wand blasted apart into pieces.

"Next time, you do something stupid, it will be your head that gets blasted into pieces.", Death said without looking at him.

Death then said to the minister, "I am Death, the ruler of the Realm Of Dead. I believe you are the ruler here."

"Yes, Yes, I am Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic of England.", Fudge said puffing out his chest to show his importance but his fear of the immortal being in front of him ruined that effect.

"I hope you wouldn't mind me executing someone from your Realm. He caused quite a lot of trouble in our Realm."

"Of course not. You can."

The moment Death turned, Fudge let out a breath and started wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"Bellatrix, If you give me permission, I can turn your body clock back to when you were 16 years old, a fresh start at life. I am sure minister wouldn't mind clearing off your crime list."

Fudge was too scared to protest. He knew that angering this being is not good for his health.

"You have my permission to do what you need to do", she said surprising every other mortal in the hall.

Soon, Hufflepuff's Cup appeared in Death's hands. He destroyed the soul piece in a similar way and then it disappeared presumably back to the vault.

"Come here, my child."

Bellatrix hesistantly stepped forward towards Death. Death put a hand on her forehead. Suddenly, Bellatrix started changing. She started getting younger and younger. Soon, she looked 16. She was now a beautiful girl with thick black curly hair and dark violet eyes.

"Sarah?"

Harry couldn't help but notice that she looked a lot like his wife in his previous life. He looked at Death for explanation.

"When Ignotus Peverell offered to help me, he put forward a condition. In his first life, his wife had supported him in everything. They were faithful to each other even after their death. He had wanted her to be reborn with him and eventually marry him in his new life. If you haven't already noticed, Bellatrix is the reincarnation of Sarah Peverell. You both were not only supposed to be born in the same year but were also supposed to stop Tom Riddle together. If you had looked at Potter family line clearly, you would notice that your grandparents had your father very late in life, late even considering wizard standards. It was the result of an error caused by an idiot working under me. I made sure that he won't make a mistake again ever. Bellatrix was born in the same year as she was supposed to be. The combination of being soul bonded to someone who was not her soul mate and searching for a soul mate that apparently didn't exist had destroyed her mind. I have reversed the damage and changed her back to your age. I have also locked up the memories of the things she did when she was not herself behind a thick wall in her mind. She will remember everything slowly one memory at a time. I know that just like she stood by you in everything during your previous life, you will stand by her and help her through the worst memories of her present life."

For some reason, Voldemort was still smug and was looking amused.

"I have many other ways to keep my immortality. There is nothing even Death can do to me."

"Do you mean this?", Harry said taking Salazar Slyhterin's ring out.

Voldemort's eyes widened on seeing it.

"Pettigrew is killing Nagini as we speak. A subtle reminder of an old Life Debt was enough to inspire him. That leaves only you, Tom.", Harry said.

"Pettigrew succeeded in killing the snake even though he died from the injuries. It is amazing how brave that boy can get when his life is on the line. Now it is your turn.", Death said.

On Death's command, the fire demons dragged Voldemort into the fiery pits of hell. An eerie scream was heard but no one dared to take a peek.

Death then extended a hand towards Harry who handed over the ring and the stone. Death then extended his other hand towards Dumbledore who got the meaning and handed over the Elder wand. Suddenly, a blue ball of light came out from each of the items which joined together to form what is known to many as the symbol of Deathly Hallows. I went into the body of Death. He then returned the items.

"I have taken away my magic from it. Now, they are just ordinary wand, ring and Invisibility cloak."

"I believe that I am ready for the next great adventure. With Voldemort gone and Harry becoming his own person, I can leave the mortal world in peace.", Dumbledore said extending his hand.

"I see that you are but I am afraid the minister is in need of some good advice", Death said inclining his head towards Fudge who looked flustered at the sudden attention that he got.

"I also know that the couple would need some time to adjust. So, I will visit you the same time next year.", Death said looking at the couple who were holding hands.

He gave everyone a nod each and went off as a black smoke back to hell. The holes on the ground closed up clearing away any evidence of the events that transpired.

* * *

This one-shot just came to me while I was stuck in my other stories. I am hoping to get good feedback. If you liked the story, I might write a sequel to it.


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